10 Ways to Improve Your Memory

for better memory tipsWe can think of the human brain as a library to store memories instead of books. No one likes entering a disorganized library, where the sought items are difficult to find, or even lost. Yet sometimes, our minds seem like a disorganized library, some memories lost others difficult to retrieve. It’s sometime frustrating, in a comedic manner, how you’d be looking everywhere for your glasses, only to find them on your nose. However, it’s embarrassing when you forgot a colleague’s name, even though you worked together for years! Here, you will find a useful guide to stimulate your memory and organize your mind to retrieve information easily

1- Exercise

You could exercise your memory constantly by testing it against information you are wishing to retrieve. For example, if you were in a restaurant, you can name people based on certain features, and try to recall their names to jog your memory. This will also help you waste time in long queues at the supermarket or dentist. This is useful as an exercise, but there are more practical ways for the memories that you will need in the long term.

2- Use familiar home objects

Use your surrounding environment to help you enhance your memory, linking things to information and constantly moving them around to exercise your memory. If you were sick and needed frequent dosage of medication, you are advised to put other important items such as eye glasses and the laptop near the medications. Similarly, you can leave items you need on your way out next to the doors , so they are clearly in your way out of the door.

3- Eat healthy

There are many food supplements that experts encourage us to take, but their effect is almost negligent. Eating healthy is so much better for the brain cells and enhances its functions, including memory. The best foods for the memory function are those rich with anti-oxidants, such as blue berries, broccoli and spinach. Other foods include those with unsaturated fats and Omega-3 such as fish. It’s also advisable to eat 6 times a day, instead of 3, and increase your intake of Vitamin B6.

4- Compartmentalize

If you can remember phone numbers and your license number but not e-mails and things you wanted to shop for, know that you memorize in a specific manner. You should compartmentalize your list into dairy products, paper products and meat products for example. For e-mails, memorize based on the initial letter and you will find you are gaining momentum with this, like how you memorize numbers by clustering them into three digits at a time.

5- Sleep well

According to many studies, the amount of sleep one gets affects their behavior and ability to function throughout the rest of the day. You’re ability to store and retrieve information is affected by sleep, so try to manage 7 hours every night.

6- Pay attention

To move things from the short term memory department in the brain to the long term department in the brain, you have to look at it for more than 8 seconds. Sometimes we fail to retrieve information because we were not paying enough attention to them when we first came across them. It happens to all of us and especially to students, thus we always have to remain focused in order to be able to remember things in the future.

7- Notice with your eyes and establish connections

Linking certain things with certain people will enhance your ability to remember them. You will easily remark on how fast you will be able to retrieve information from your mind, if it is linked with your relations to others.

8- Movement jogs the memory

If you are working a lot or studying, take some time off to relax and enjoy a walk in your surroundings. If you exercise often you will be able to maintain your weight and reduce your chances of obesity, which impairs blood circulation – affecting brain cells.

9- Rid yourself of negative feelings

Negative feelings like anger, depression or anxiety stress the brain cells, impairing memory. Depression was found out by experts to be the most influential on memory issues. If you find yourself dwelling in sad memories, replace them with pleasant ones immediately and find support through a friend or family or even a specialist.

10- Organize your life

The final manner in which you can strengthen your memory is by organizing your life better. Put your daily needed items, such as car keys and glasses, on a known surface that doesn’t change. Use a notebook or electronic organizer to note your meetings and events – check it frequently to stay updated. Mobile phones have made storing numbers easier, as it all goes safely in the phone book.